Plants vs Zombies: A lesson on Evolution and Classification
Plants vs. Zombies: A Lesson on Artificial Selection and Classification
Team Name: Team Members:
Performance Task: There is a Zombie Apocalypse caused by a comet that traveled too close to the earth. People who were not sheltered during the comet’s passing were turned into zombies. It is believed that the comet was created by aliens to prepare our planet for invasion. Plants and Fungi were also affected by the comet and mutated and now carry many unusual traits. For some unknown reason these plants and fungi are able to repel or kill zombies. These helpful traits have been “artificially selected” for by certain “Zombotanists” and “Zombie-mycologists”. They sell these plants and fungi to people so they can use them to protect their houses from zombie take over. The currency at the time is based on how many zombies you can kill plus you can pilfer the pockets of eliminated zombies. In order to prepare you to fight, scientists have created a game simulator that will sharpen your skills to fight the “real thing”. Your mission is to play the simulator and beat it. We feel that if you can defeat our simulator you are on your way to being a “Zombinator”.
Directions: Complete Plants versus Zombies simulator. Keep a journal log of the type of plants, fungi and zombies presented in the simulator.
Get to Know Your Zombies and Plants:
1. Create a phylogenetic tree and cladogram demonstrating the evolution of plants and/or fungi. Your grouping must make sense and be neat.
2. Create a concept map that depicts the zombie strategy to combat these plants and fungi.
Breeding:
1. Look up and define selective/artificial selection. How did this have an effect on the formation of Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection?
2. What is convergent evolution? Is there evidence of this in your plants or fungi?
3. What is coevolution? Can you find any scenarios in the simulator of this phenomenon?
4. Design a cross of the existing plants or fungi that would result in a
Team Name: Team Members:
Performance Task: There is a Zombie Apocalypse caused by a comet that traveled too close to the earth. People who were not sheltered during the comet’s passing were turned into zombies. It is believed that the comet was created by aliens to prepare our planet for invasion. Plants and Fungi were also affected by the comet and mutated and now carry many unusual traits. For some unknown reason these plants and fungi are able to repel or kill zombies. These helpful traits have been “artificially selected” for by certain “Zombotanists” and “Zombie-mycologists”. They sell these plants and fungi to people so they can use them to protect their houses from zombie take over. The currency at the time is based on how many zombies you can kill plus you can pilfer the pockets of eliminated zombies. In order to prepare you to fight, scientists have created a game simulator that will sharpen your skills to fight the “real thing”. Your mission is to play the simulator and beat it. We feel that if you can defeat our simulator you are on your way to being a “Zombinator”.
Directions: Complete Plants versus Zombies simulator. Keep a journal log of the type of plants, fungi and zombies presented in the simulator.
Get to Know Your Zombies and Plants:
1. Create a phylogenetic tree and cladogram demonstrating the evolution of plants and/or fungi. Your grouping must make sense and be neat.
2. Create a concept map that depicts the zombie strategy to combat these plants and fungi.
Breeding:
1. Look up and define selective/artificial selection. How did this have an effect on the formation of Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection?
2. What is convergent evolution? Is there evidence of this in your plants or fungi?
3. What is coevolution? Can you find any scenarios in the simulator of this phenomenon?
4. Design a cross of the existing plants or fungi that would result in a